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phosphate exhaustion

02-28-2010, 01:57 AM

Do plants 'Bank' Phosphates?

For example if a planted tank has 0 phosphates for some time, and deficiencies showing in the plants. When phosphate is added, is it rapidly absorbed by the plants (more rapidly then normal) until some minimum threshold is reached?

I've been adding flourish phosphate to my tank started at a does to add .3 mg/l and have increased that to two times a day dosing phosphates are still at or near zero.

Yes tested my test kit on several known dilutions of the Flourish phosphate and kit reacts predictably.

Sounds as though you starved the plants and assuming the test results are correct I would suggest increasing the Phosphorus. I have not seen this in PO4, but I have seen other nutrients just sucked up when plants are starved or just plain getting in gear.

You did not share any other information so it is hard to say.

Off-hand with the given information I would use Fleet Enema, say one milliliter per 100 liters every other day. If you prefer Flourish Phosphate 26 milliliters per 100 liters every other day.

Comment

In some supplemental reading earlier I read that high Iron levels can precipitate out with the phosphate? Any truth to that? What levels are considered 'high' for Iron... at least in relation to removing phosphates.

Off to read the link you posted.

Comment

In some supplemental reading earlier I read that high Iron levels can precipitate out with the phosphate? Any truth to that? What levels are considered 'high' for Iron... at least in relation to removing phosphates.

Off to read the link you posted.

Hi,

Yes, phosphates can percipitate iron.

Most of us dose phosphate on a different day from iron, a couple of hours apart should be sufficient though.

I doubt you could hit iron levels great enough to be a concern.

Biollante

The first sign we don't know what we are doing is an obsession with numbers. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Disclaimer: I am not trying to make you mad, it is just what I am, an evil plant monster, 'nuf said.

I believe the information I am giving is sound, I am not a veterinarian, professional chemist or particularly bright and certainly not a "Guru.".

I assume you are of legal age, competent and it is legal for you to acquire, possess and use any materials or perform any action in your in your jurisdiction.